


Unexpected Friendship

by A_Phoenix_Inferno_K20



Category: The Dragon Prince
Genre: F/M, Tiadrin/Lain - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:27:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22984033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Phoenix_Inferno_K20/pseuds/A_Phoenix_Inferno_K20
Summary: The story of how Rayla’s parents, Lain and Tiadrin, met. Pre-TDP."Psst."Tiadrin's ears perk up at the sound, but she simply leans her whole body against Keiran's and closes her eyes. The leaves rustle above her and she peeks an eye open to see a part of amber eyes staring back at her. “Ya got ta do better than tha’, Lain,” she sasses him, a smug smile on her face, as she opens both eyes.Lain pulls his body up to jump out of the tree and does a backflip before landing in the grass in front of his friend. “I knew ya’d find me,” he replies, flopping down next to her. “An’ it wasn’t like I was really tryin’.”Tiadrin covers her mouth to stifle a giggle. “Oh, Lain. Ya seem ta like just bein’ silly for ma,” she says once the laughter dies. “Sometimes I wonder if ya had chosen the wrong dream.”Lain arches an eyebrow at her. “Wha’ do ya mean by tha’?” he asks, genuinely confused.
Relationships: Tiadrin/Lain
Comments: 7
Kudos: 22





	1. A “Crashing” Encounter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jelly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jelly/gifts).



> Hiya, everyone! So, I’m new to AO3, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how Rayla’s parents met, so this is what I came up with. I’d been discussing this with Jelly on Tumblr and so I dedicate this to Jellyjay. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy reading.

Hi, I'm Tiadrin. I ... don't usually get to tell people about my life before the events that took place at the Storm Spire, you know, with that dark mage trapping Lain and I in cramped coins. I was born to my mother and father - both assassins - in the Silvergrove, but I ended up losing both of them when I was about eight or nine years old. But then, two years later ... I ran into Lain - literally. And, because of that chance encounter, we began the biggest, bumpiest ride of our lives.

_Swish! Swish! Clang!_

The Silvergrove is enveloped in its usual quiet, save for the sounds of weapons hitting each other. Two Moonshadow elves - in training to become warriors - are sparring with each other. One has a longsword while the other has two short swords. The elf with the longsword charges forward, a battle cry escaping their mouth, as they surge forward towards their opponent, a taller elf with long white hair that's braided in the back. The other elf blocks the strike from the longsword with their two short swords and holds their position, staring the other elf down.

"You keep overexerting yourself, Tiadrin," the tall elf says in a deep, masculine voice, pushing the shorter elf preteen back a few steps. "You shouldn't keep rushing headlong into the fight without paying attention to what your opponent is going to do."

Tiadrin smirks, backflipping to avoid the other teen's swing of his swords. "At least I'm not so rigid like ya, Runaan," she teases, rushing forward and sliding below Runaan's swords as they move above her head. As she regains her footing, she kicks Runaan's feet out from under him and holds her sword to his neck. "I win," she says smugly, getting to her feet again. She returns her sword to its place on her back and offers her hand to help Runaan up, which he accepts.

"I must say, you've improved greatly since our last spar," Runaan says as he and Tiadrin exit the training grounds.

"I know," Tiadrin replies coyly, turning around and walking backwards in front of her friend. "I won fair an' square with tha' sweep-the-leg move I did."

Runaan chuckles and shakes his head ruefully. "You know, you're going to get yourself in a right amount of trouble one of these days if you keep bragging like that," he admonishes.

Tiadrin turns back around and holds her hands behind her back, her pace quickening steadily. "I don't know wha' ya're talkin' about," she replies innocently, rushing forward to get to the bakery for any Moonberry Surprises.

Runaan stops walking and just watches his friend behave like a young six-year-old again.

Tiadrin sits down next to the Moon Pool and absentmindedly moves her fingers through the water. She’s just watching the ripples her fingers make in the water and she’s so focused on it that she doesn’t see the person flying towards her. Next thing she knows, a heavy weight barrels into her and then she’s paddling her way to the edge of the Moon Pool to haul her wet self out. She rolls over the edge and tumbles onto the soft grass, staring at the trees above her, dazed, as she tries to make sense of what just happened.

Another splash and then footsteps as someone comes hurrying over. “I’m SO sorry about tha’,” the person says, their voice not as deep as Runaan’s, as they help Tiadrin to her feet. “My Shadowpaw got spooked an’ I couldn’t get him ta stop.”

Tiadrin leans over and wipes the water out of her eyes, chuckling. “Ya need ta learn ta control ya’re mount before somethin' worse than bein’ thrown into the Moon Pool happens,” she reprimands, finally looking up at the cause of her predicament. _‘Oh, god, I’ve messed up,’_ she thinks, standing up straight and looking rather sorry for herself. _‘Why did it have ta be a guy? Tha’s it; I’m screwed.’_

The elf in question shakes his head. “I’ll have ta remember tha’,” he replies, making her look up in surprise. “Someone thankfully caught the reins, stoppin’ my Shadowpaw, but couldn’t stop me from flyin’ off the saddle an' landin’ both of us in this predicament.”

Tiadrin smiles and tucks some hair behind her ear. "Well, I guess we can call this an accident," she says, her ears tingling from excitement. 'For Moon's sake, why is he bein' so cute?' she thinks, both of them turning to look at his Shadowpaw, who's trying to get to his rider. The tall elf puts his thumb and first finger to his mouth and lets a lingering whistle out, the Shadowpaw lunging forward and reaching his rider in just a few long strides. The elf swings his leg over his mount’s back and grabs the reins.

I didn’t get ya’re name,” he says, smiling. “My name’s Lain.”

Tiadrin blinks and nods. “Oh, right,” she apologizes. “The name’s Tiadrin.”

Lain bunches the reins in his hands. “It’s nice ta meet ya, Tiadrin,” he says, soothing his mount when it begins pawing the ground. “I hope we meet again soon.”

Tiadrin nods and smiles. “Yeah, ya too," she replies, watching as he turns his Shadowpaw around and the gentle giant stalks away. Tiadrin just watches, completely oblivious to Runaan walking up until she feels his hand on her shoulder. She glances at him with her head slightly turned in his direction as she gauges his reaction.

"Quite an odd lad, isn't he?" The taller elf asks, looking at Tiadrin with a brow raised.

Tiadrin nods. "But tha' doesn't mean there's anythin' wrong with him," she replies, crossing her arms. "He seems pretty cool."

Runaan chuckles and nods. "He might be a little peculiar, but he does seem like a cool guy."

Tiadrin stared in the direction where Lain had headed and wondered if she'd ever meet him once again.

  
_It's me again. Tiadrin. So, that chance encounter with Lain led to a rollercoaster ride of happy memories we made together. I ended up learning that he absolutely fawns over his Shadowpaw and he'd ended up training the cat to come to both his whistle and mine._

  
Tiadrin didn't have to wait for long, though. She headed to the Adoraburr Meadow to get some time away from Runaan's antics as well as find a quiet place to polish her sword. _‘I’m goin’ ta sit under ma favorite tree,’_ she thinks, walking towards the back of the meadow. She stops when she notices a large lump ahead of her and she slowly creeps forward. _‘Oh, Lain, for Moon’s sake,’_ she thinks, stopping right in front of the young teen. She watches as he breathes in an even pace during his nap, his Shadowpaw having curled its body around the boy.

Lain inhales sharply and groggily blinks his eyes, looking up at Tiadrin once his vision focuses. “Wha’ are ya doin’ here, Tiadrin?” he asks, confused.

Tiadrin shrugs. “I could ask the same thin’ of ya,” she retorts, crossing her arms with a terse look on her face.

Lain sits up, covering his mouth when he yawns. “Wha’ do ya mean by tha’?” he asks, getting to his feet.

Tiadrin huffs, indignant. “I was just on ma way ta ma spot at the far end of the meadow,” she replies.

Lain walks forward until he’s standing in front of Tiadrin, a couple inches taller than her. “Is my bein’ here a problem for ya?” he asks, gently prying for her opinion.

Tiadrin shakes her head and walks around Lain, sighing softly. “I don’t have a problem with ya bein’ here,” she relents, stopping at the edge of the long grass. “But, if ya’re goin’ ta come, be sure ta let ma know so tha’ I can come with ya.”

Lain turns around and watches as she sits down under the shade of the tree. "I'll be sure ta keep tha' in mind," he says, using a hand signal to call his Shadowpaw.

Tiadrin watches the interaction between Lain and his mount, a tiny smile breaking out on her face. "Ya never told ma the name ya gave him," she says ta him.

Lain chuckles. “His name is Keiran,” he replies.

Tiadrin smiles. “I like tha’ name,” she comments, her eyes widening when Lain holds his hand out to her.

“Ya want ta meet Kieran officially?”

Tiadrin’s ears perk up a little, her face filled with a combo of surprise, happiness, and nervousness. She tentatively reaches out and slides her small hand into his larger one.

Lain guides her up to Keiran and flips her hand around to an outstretched palm. He pauses for a minute when he notices her nervous look. “Ya okay?” he asks, his ears moving down slightly.

Tiadrin shakes her head. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she replies, releasing a sigh as her hand slowly falls. “I just ... I was attacked by a wild Shadowpaw when I was five an’...“

Lain catches her meaning. “An’ ya’re now afraid ta pet a Shadowpaw?” he finishes, his tone a mix of curiosity and sympathy.

Tiadrin nods, but doesn’t say anything.

Lain places a hand on her shoulder. “Do ya trust me?” he asks, a smile on his face.

Tiadrin looks up at him and nods. “Yeah, I do,” she replies, somehow feeling completely at peace.

Lain holds his hand out to her and she takes it with no nervousness present. “I raised Keiran from a kitten an’ the most attackin’ I’ve received from him is tacklin’ me ta the ground when I get home.”

Tiadrin takes a deep breath and presses her flat palm against Keiran’s nose, a huge smile breaking out on her face when the big creature begins purring.

Lain lets out a long whistle. “Wow, tha’s unusual, even for Keiran,” he says, running a hand down his face as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing. “He usually has ta take some time ta get used ta someone new-“

“Not ya,“ Tiadrin interrupts, a smirk on her face.

Lain chuckles. “Yeah, other than me,” he relents. “He must think ya’re special or somethin’ because he warmed up ta ya right quick, somethin’ he never does with anyone else.”

Tiadrin pulls her hand away and rushes up to Lain, giving him a tight hug. “Thank ya for doin’ this for ma,” she whispers, tears beginning to escape their confines.

Lain, surprised by the sudden hug, smiles and wraps his arms around her to hug her back. “Ya’re welcome, my friend,” he replies softly.

  
_So, it’s Tiadrin again. Yes, I know what you're thinking. Why am I even hanging out with this guy? I'll tell you why: he showed me how to get over my fear of Shadowpaws by letting me take my time to get to know his Shadowpaw, Keiran. I have to admit, my first impressions of Lain are growing on me and I'm glad I can count on him as a friend. We aren't at the point of being 'best friends', but we're getting there._

———————  
  
 _Six months later..._

  
Tiadrin makes her way up to the Adoraburr Meadow, trying to find a way to distract her mind. Her adoptive parents had recently been sent out on an assignment nearly a month ago and she hasn't heard anything from either of them since. She smiles when Keiran bounds up to her and gives her a 'hello' nuzzle. Tiadrin laughs and pushes his head away. "Alright, Keiran, off ma, ya big ol' cub," she scolds gently, resuming her pace. The Shadowpaw bounces around, obviously very excited to see her. Lain is nowhere in sight, though she knows he's here. Tiadrin signals for Keiran to follow her. He knows exactly where she's going and lays down, his back against the base of the tree. Tiadrin grabs her sword and sits down, leaning her back against the big Shadowpaw's silky side.

"Psst."

Tiadrin's ears perk up at the sound, but she simply leans her whole body against Keiran's and closes her eyes. The leaves rustle above her and she peeks an eye open to see a part of amber eyes staring back at her. “Ya got ta do better than tha’, Lain,” she sasses him, a smug smile on her face, as she opens both eyes.

Lain pulls his body up to jump out of the tree and does a backflip before landing in the grass in front of his friend. “I knew ya’d find me,” he replies, flopping down next to her. “An’ it wasn’t like I was really tryin’.”

Tiadrin covers her mouth to stifle a giggle. “Oh, Lain. Ya seem ta like just bein’ silly for ma,” she says once the laughter dies. “Sometimes I wonder if ya had chosen the wrong dream.”

Lain arches an eyebrow at her. “Wha’ do ya mean by tha’?” he asks, genuinely confused.

Tiadrin chuckles softly and shakes her head. "I thought ya said ya wanted ta become a Vanguard,” she replies, allowing an Adoraburr that came over to jump onto her palm.

Lain sighs softly. “Ya always find a way ta twist my words,” he retorts, threading his fingers behind his head.

The two continue bantering back and forth, knowing that their friendship couldn’t, and wouldn’t, change anything between them and that they’d always be best friends. But they also have no clue about what’s in store for them in the near future.


	2. Comfort and Confession Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lain watches as his best friend of a-year-and-a-half, Tiadrin, spars with an assassin-in-training. Lain half remembers Tiadrin telling him that her friend's name is Runaan and he admires how grateful they both are as they fight. Tiadrin pulls her signature move, a side flip above Runaan's dual swords, and then the match is finished with Tiadrin rising for the win.
> 
> 'Gosh, she's so awesome,' Lain thinks, smiling at her as she and Runaan start another match. ‘I’m so glad tha’ I have her as a friend.’ He’s startled by a hand touching his shoulder and turns to see his oldest friend standing next to him.
> 
> “Quite a sight,” Ethari remarks. “If I should say so myself.”
> 
> Lain nods, a small smile on his face. “Rin seems ta know when ta anticipate Runaan’s strikes before he even begins ta swing,” he comments, crossing his arms.
> 
> Ethari raises a brow at the nickname his friend just used. “Tell me this then,” he teases. “If ‘Rin’ knows Runaan’s style o’ fighting, then why doesn’t she know tha’ ya view her as more than a friend?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I’m back! Sorry this took a day longer than I wanted it to, but I wanted it to be just perfect. Anyways, enjoy this next chapter!

Hi, this is Lain. I’m usually a rather shy person when it comes to telling others about my interactions with my friend, Tiadrin. Mostly because I try to keep to myself. The only other person I claim as a friend is my best buddy, Ethari. He and I have known each other since we were little and we are as close as two friends could ever be to the point where we think of each other as brothers even though we aren’t related in any sense. I had my best friend to support me through thick and thin and I thought that my life couldn’t get any better ... until I met Tiadrin.  
One year later...

Lain watches as his best friend of a-year-and-a-half, Tiadrin, spars with an assassin-in-training. Lain half remembers Tiadrin telling him that her friend's name is Runaan and he admires how grateful they both are as they fight. Tiadrin pulls her signature move, a side flip above Runaan's dual swords, and then the match is finished with Tiadrin rising for the win.

'Gosh, she's so awesome,' Lain thinks, smiling at her as she and Runaan start another match. ‘I’m so glad tha’ I have her as a friend.’ He’s startled by a hand touching his shoulder and turns to see his oldest friend standing next to him.

“Quite a sight,” Ethari remarks. “If I should say so myself.”

Lain nods, a small smile on his face. “Rin seems ta know when ta anticipate Runaan’s strikes before he even begins ta swing,” he comments, crossing his arms.

Ethari raises a brow at the nickname his friend just used. “Tell me this then,” he teases. “If ‘Rin’ knows Runaan’s style o’ fighting, then why doesn’t she know tha’ ya view her as more than a friend?”

That question gets Lain to turn a rather bright shade of red, to Ethari’s satisfaction. “Wha’ are ya talkin’ about?” he asks, unable to look his best friend in the eye.

Ethari shrugs. “I’m just saying’ it as a way ta get ya ta think hard,” he points out.

Lain shakes his head and they end the discussion as Tiadrin and Runaan are making their way over to them.

“Lain!” Tiadrin yells, rushing up to him and jumping into his arms. “Did ya see ma beat Runaan?”

Lain nods silently and hugs her before letting her go. “I did,” he replies gently before looking up at Runaan. “I don’t think tha’ ya an’ I have been introduced properly.”

Tiadrin smiles at getting to introduce her best friends to each other. “Oh , right,” she says, wrapping her hand around Runaan’s wrist and pulling him over. “Lain, this is my friend, Runaan. He an’ I have been best friends since he came ta the Silvergrove.”

Runaan grumbles under his breath. “It’s coming up on six years we’ve known each other,” he says, just loud enough for the others in the group to hear.

Tiadrin punches his shoulder a tad too hard. “Don’t act so happy about it,” she scolds him quietly, nearly letting a smirk break out on her face as she watches Runaan rub the shoulder she punched with a grimace on his face. “If I hadn’t helped ya get settled in, then we wouldn’t be the close friends we are today.”

Runaan sighs. “That’s true,” he says, the frown returning to replace the grimace.

Tiadrin frowns. “Ya big crybaby,” she mutters quietly under her breath.

Lain chuckles lightheartedly at the antics between the two and shakes his head. “Anyways, Rin, Runaan, this is my childhood best friend, Ethari,” he says, smiling and crossing his arms.

Tiadrin holds her hand out to shake Ethari’s hand and he returns the gesture, shaking hands with her. “It’s nice ta finally meet ya,” she says.

Ethari smiles. "Same ta you," he replies. "Lain's told me so much about you."

Tiadrin's eyes shift to Lain's while trying to keep a straight face. "Has he now?" she remarks, giving her friend a stern glare.

Lain gulps nervously, knowing her well enough by now that she'll pester him about it later.

Runaan chuckles and rubs the back of his neck. "Well, I have to get going," he says as a way to break the awkward silence. "I'm due to spar with another assassin." He turns around and walks away.

Ethari mumbles something before clearing his throat. "I best be gettin' myself back ta the forge," he says, giving Lain a firm hug and then turning to Tiadrin. "I'm so glad tha' I got ta meet you." He gives her a hug, but purposely makes it a soft one. "I hope you get the disagreement between you two worked out." He turns around and walks towards the forge.

Tiadrin roughly grabs Lain's hand and pulls him in the direction of the Adoraburr Meadow, their favorite place to hang out.

Lain grimaces at how tight Tiadrin's squeezing his hand and tries to pull his hand out of his friend's tight grip, but it's no use. Tiadrin squeezes his hand even tighter than before and Lain can't bite back a whimper of pain. "Uh, Tiadrin, could ya let my hand go?" he asks softly, trying to not make her even more pissed than she already is.

Tiadrin says nothing and she continues walking, Lain being pulled along while helpless to improve his situation.

By the time they make it to the Adoraburr Meadow, Lain's fingertips have begun turning different shades of blue and purple. Tiadrin finally releases her vice grip on Lain's hand and crosses her arms, an angry scowl on her face and her ears pinned back against her head.

"Okay, spill. Now," she says, glaring at him. "When did ya tell ya're friend about ma?" she interrogates.

Lain grimaces as he rubs his bruised fingers to get the feeling back. “I told Ethari about ya a couple weeks ago,” he admits, bowing his head in shame.

Tiadrin huffs in annoyance. "An' ya didn't bother ta tell ma about ya're friend?" she asks, quite perturb at this new information.

Lain sighs, knowing that he can’t win this argument. “I have other friends besides ya,” he replies, completely deflated. “Ya know tha’, right?” He flops into the grass unceremoniously and allows the adoraburrs to climb up his legs.

Tiadrin sighs, shaking her head, and quietly sits down next to Lain. “Ya know I worry about ya, right?” she says, her tone much gentler. She takes his hand in hers and squeezes it reassuringly. “I need ya ta be honest with ma.”

Lain looks up at her, his expression softening at her relaxed smile. “Okay.”

Tiadrin sighs and leans against his shoulder. “I need ya ta promise ma tha’ ya’ll tell ma things deemed important from now on,” she says, her eyes half-closed already.

Lain chuckles softly. “Ya have my word,” he agrees, hearing soft snoring just seconds later. He runs his fingers through her hair and leans over to plant a soft kiss on her head. ‘How did I get so lucky an’ find a friend like Tiadrin?’ He asks himself silently, smiling.

Several hours later...

Tiadrin blinks her eyes, still a bit groggy from sleeping, and lifts her head up. ‘Oh shade,’ she curses herself, looking around. A pair of tall horns catch her eye from her right side and she begins to panic. ‘Did I fall asleep on Lain’s shoulder?’ In her panic, she gets to her feet so quickly that she ends up waking Lain as well.

Lain shakes his head to clear the sleep from his eyes and the first thing he sees is Tiadrin with a horrified look on her face. “Rin, wha’s wrong?” he asks, getting up and walking up to her.

Tiadrin hides her face in her hands and begins sobbing, finally making her legs work and she runs away.

Lain follows after her slowly and stops about ten feet away, hearing the sobs wracking his friend’s body. He quietly walks over to crouch next to her and gently places his hand on her back. “Rin, are ya alright?”

Tiadrin turns her head and presses her face into his neck in an effort to hide her tears, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Lain’s body language is nothing short of surprise and he hesitantly wraps his arms around her back in a poor attempt to comfort her.

Tiadrin buries her face even more into his neck, tears freely sliding down her cheeks and falling onto Lain’s shoulder and his leg, but he hardly notices. “I’m so sorry,” she whispers, her voice barely loud enough for Lain to hear.

Lain rubs her back soothingly. “Wha’ are ya sayin’ sorry for?” he asks, genuinely confused.

Tiadrin sniffs, the tears beginning to abate. “For takin’ advantage of ya,” she replies, rather sullen.

Lain can’t help it and tries to stifle a chuckle, making her look up at him. “Ya didn’t take advantage of me,” he says good-naturedly, his ears at their normal height.

Tiadrin stares at him, astonished. “But I fell asleep on ya’re shoulder,” she starts, completely clueless at what he’s getting at. “Are ya-“

“Mad?” Lain finishes, shaking his head. “Absolutely not. I observed ya were tired an’ I let ya sleep the exhaustion off. Turns out I was exhausted too.”

Tiadrin smiles, glad that the problem has been solved. “So, are we good now?” she asks.

Lain nods, a smile on his face. “Yep,” he replies.

Two weeks later...

Footsteps resound through the canyon leading to the Adoraburr Meadow as the elf runs. Tiadrin’s just found out from an assassin who’s friends with her adoptive parents that they aren’t coming back from their mission and she ran away to express her emotions in the one place — and the one person — she knows won’t judge her.

Lain looks up to see Tiadrin running towards him and barely has any time to react when she hugs him tightly, pressing her ear to his chest to hear his heartbeat as a way to calm down. “Rin, are ya okay? Wha’s wrong?” Lain asks as he wraps his arms around her in a firm hug.

Tiadrin squeezes her tear-filled eyes shut and tightly her hold around Lain’s waist slightly. “They’re gone,” she whispers, knowing Lain can hear her.

Lain rubs her back soothingly. “If I may, who are ya talkin’ about?” he asks.

Tiadrin pulls her head away from his chest and looks up at him, her cheeks stained by her tears. “Elliun an’ Lyrei, ma adoptive parents,” she replies standing up and resting the side of her head on Lain’s shoulder. “They were given an assignment a couple months ago an’ I just found out from Lyrei’s friend, Meira, tha’ they aren’t comin’ back. I’ve lost the closest people ta ma parents. I have no family left.”

Lain pulls back slightly and hooks a finger under her chin, lifting her head up so she can look at him. “Most things ya said in tha’ sentence are right, but there’s one thing ya said tha’s completely wrong,” he replies. ”Ya lost not only ya’re biological parents but also ya’re adoptive parents, but tha’ doesn’t mean ya have no family left.”

Tiadrin wipes the remaining tears from her eyes and glances up at him. “I’m not sure I understand wha’ ya mean,” she says honestly, her hands resting on his chest.

Lain pulls her a little closer and presses his forehead to hers, a tiny smile on his face. “Wha’ I mean is tha’ ya have Runaan an’ Ethari an’ me,” he says, moving one hand to her neck and wiping the tears away. “If tha’s wha’ ya want.”

Tiadrin smiles and nods. “Yeah, I think I’d like tha’,” she replies, moving her own hand to his neck.

Lain smiles. “Good,” he says, pressing a light kiss on her nose.

Tiadrin gasps softly and, before Lain has any time to rethink his approach, she pulls his head down to crash her lips to his.

Lain stands there, completely and utterly surprised beyond words, and just at Tiadrin with wide eyes as she pulls away.

Tiadrin sees his surprised look and pulls her forehead away from his. “Did I take it too far?” she whispers.

Lain says nothing as he pulls her body flush against his and puts his hand on her face. He moves his hand so his fingers wrap around the back of her head and then crashes his lips on hers.

Tiadrin relaxes against him and they savor this first mutual kiss between them, the slight feeling of electricity sparking between their lips.

Lain pulls away first and he rests his head against Tiadrin’s, breathing a deep sigh. He glances up at her and gives her a giddy grin, which she returns. “An’ ta answer ya’re question, no. Ya didn’t take it too far.”

Tiadrin smiles and their panting leaves little ghost kisses to mingle with their breaths. “I’m glad tha’ we’re both on the same page,” she says, pecking his lips softly.

Lain smiles and they kiss again, this time softer. “So ... Are we a thing now?” he asks after they pull away again.

Tiadrin giggles and nods, grinning wide. “Mhm,” she agrees, taking his hand in hers and pulling him with her. They walk over to sit down and lean against Keiran’s silky soft side.

Lain wraps his arm around Tiadrin’s shoulders and she leans into his side, both of them watching the remaining light of the setting sun. “Hey, Rin?” he asks, glancing over at her.

Tiadrin hums in reply.

“Thank ya.”

Tiadrin turns her head to look up at him, genuinely surprised. “Wha’ are ya thankin’ ma for?”

“For bein’ my friend an’ now my girlfriend,” he replies simply.

Tiadrin scoffs and shakes her head. “Well, ya’re welcome,” she relents, resting her head on his shoulder once again.

Lain chuckles, plants a kiss on her head, and rests his chin on top of her head. They both fall asleep in each other’s arms rather quickly after confessing their feelings to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yes, I know what you might be thinking. Things have escalated quickly between these two, but I wouldn’t expect anything less than that. I wanted them to feel comfortable around each other before taking it to the next level. But I think that it turned out perfect. See ya in the next chapter!


	3. A New Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiadrin’s Moonstrider is getting older and Tiadrin’s worried that her Neia doesn’t have much time left. But, luckily, Lain comes to the rescue and gives her the best gift that she’s ever received.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I apologize for not updating when I wanted to, but here’s the third chapter. Enjoy!

Hi, this is Tiadrin. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. ‘Aren’t you and Lain a bit young to be dating?’ True, we may be a bit young, but we truly love each other. That’s really all there is to explain it. We’re stupidly in love with each other and we tease each other for not realizing our feelings sooner. But I think that the best gift I ever received was a yearling Moonstrider named Myrrh that Lain gave me for the second anniversary of us dating.

—————

2 years later...

Two mounts native to the forest that the Silvergrove resides in are nose to nose in a race. The Shadowpaw surges ahead of the Moonstrider by several inches and its rider raises his arms in triumph.

“I beat ya, Rin,” Lain says as he dismounts Keiran.

Tiadrin scoffs as she swings her leg over Neia's back and jumps off with her boyfriend’s help. “It’s only because Keiran’s faster than Neia,” she retorts, crossing her arms with a sour frown on her face.

Lain walks up to her and unwinds her arms to wrap them around his neck, his own hands resting on her waist. “Aww, don’t feel bad,” he encourages, pressing his forehead to hers. “Ya almost beat me tha’ time.”

Tiadrin smiles and reaches up to plant a soft kiss on his lips. “Wha’ causes ma ta never stay mad at ya?” she asks, her hands gently moving up and down on his neck.

Lain smirks. “Maybe it’s just my good looks tha’ ‘woo’ed ya,” he replies, his eyebrow quirked up.

Tiadrin eyes him, suspicious. “Ya keep braggin’ like tha’, ya’re gonna get in trouble some day,” she warns, her voice teasing.

Lain laughs heartily, rubbing his nose against hers. “An’ tha’s why ya fell in love with me,” he replies, planting a kiss on the bridge of her nose.

Tiadrin’s lighthearted laughter fills the Adoraburr Meadow. “An’ ya’re quirkinesses is the reason I fell in love with ya,” she says, a little giggle and nuzzles her nose against his.

Lain’s smile disappears as realization dawns on him. “When were we plannin’ on tellin’ Runaan an’ Ethari about us?” he asks, genuinely concerned.

Tiadrin’s ears move down a bit. “Oh, tha’s right,” she says, looking down at Lain’s chest. “I’d nearly forgotten about tha’.”

Lain moves his hand to rest on her neck. “Wha’ are we goin’ ta tell them?” he asks, the gentle breeze ruffling his hair.

Tiadrin moves her hands to rest on his arms. “We’ll get ta tha’ when it comes, ma love,” she replies, smiling softly.

Lain returns the smile and walks over to climb on Keiran’s back. “Race ya back home?” he suggests, taking the reins.

Tiadrin nods and climbs up on Neia’s back, grabbing the reins. “Last one there has ta treat ta Moonberry Surprise for both of us,” she taunts, urging Neia into a run.

Lain chuckles and he and Keiran follow a couple feathers behind.

—————

Later, at the Silvergrove...

Lain’s sitting cross-legged in front of his house, twiddling his fingers nervously.

“Lain.”

Lain jumps and looks up to see that Ethari’s walked up, his arms crossed. “Oh, hey, Eth,” he says, getting up and dusting his butt off. “I didn’t hear ya comin’.”

Ethari cocks his head to the side, unconvinced, and raises a brow, suspicious. "Ya're have the best hearing between ya, me, an' Runaan," he replies, putting a hand on Lain's shoulder. "Wha's wrong?"

Lain shakes his head. "Nothing's wrong, Ethari," he insists, forcing himself to walk without any sense of where he's going. "I just..." he stops completely and crosses his arms, trying to hide the nervousness with little success.

Ethari walks up to stand next to his friend and places his hand on Lain's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I understand wha' it's like ta be nervous," he says gently.

Lain shrugs Ethari's hand off his shoulder and shakes his head. "No, ya don't," he whispers quietly, sinking to his knees, but Ethari hears it.

Ethari knows that there’s really nothing he can say to make Lain talk, so he does the next best thing. He sits down next to his best friend and pulls the distraught elf into a comforting hug.

Lain tenses, but eventually returns the hug.

They let each other go and Ethari places his hand on Lain's shoulder. "Ya okay now?" he asks.

Lain nods, smiling. "Thanks, Eth," he says. He pulls his knees to his chest, resting his chin on them. "Hey, can I tell ya somethin'?" he asks after a few minutes of silence between them.

Ethari nods, resting an arm on his leg that's pulled up halfway. "Wha's up?"

Lain takes a deep breath. "So, I've noticed tha' Tiadrin's Moonstrider, Neia, has been gettin' slower an' has fallen over several times. I wanted ya're opinion on..."

Ethari listens carefully and places a hand on his best friend's shoulder, urging him to continue.

Lain continues. "Would it be a good idea ta get Tiadrin a Moonstrider cub ta raise while she still has Neia?” he asks, looking at Ethari.

Ethari smiles and pats Lain’s shoulder. I think ya already know the answer ta tha’,” he replies, getting to his feet. “I’ve got ta get back ta the forge,” he says, dusting his hands off.

Lain smiles and waves. “Thanks for the talk, Eth,” he calls, watching his friend walk back to the forge. ‘Am I makin’ the right choice?’ he asks himself, rising to his feet and heading towards Keiran to go for a ride to clear his mind.

—————

With Tiadrin and Neia, two weeks later ...

Tiadrin leans against Neia’s soft side and listens to the Moonstrider’s slightly raspy breathing, worried for the creature. ‘I think tha’ Neia’s time is almost here,’ she thinks, reaching over to lightly stroke Neia’s silky neck fur.

A sudden rustle startles her from her trance and she looks up to see a pair of bright orange eyes staring back at her.

“Lain!” she hisses through her teeth, a grimace on her face. “Ya need ta stop scarin’ ma like tha’,” she scolds, watching as he jumps down from the tree in front of her.

“Or wha’?” he snorts, a smirk on his face.

Tiadrin pops her knuckles, a wicked grin on her face. “Remember wha’ happened last time ya asked tha’?” she retorts.

Lain gasps and his hands rise in surrender. “Oh, yeah, right,” he replies quickly. “I forgot. My apologies.”

Tiadrin bursts with hysterical laughter. “Relax, ma love,” she assures, taking his hand and pulling him down into the grass next to her. “I was only jokin’.”

Lain’s shoulders relax, but he doesn’t lean against Neia like Tiadrin.

Tiadrin notices this and places a hand on his arm. “Are ya alright, love?” she asks, concerned.

Lain gets to his feet and dusts himself off. “I have a surprise for ya,” he says, holding his hand out for her to take.

Tiadrin hesitantly takes her boyfriend’s hand and stands up, placing her hands on his arms. “Wha’ is it?” she asks, genuinely surprised.

Lain shakes his head at Tiadrin’s inquiry. “If I told ya, it’d ruin the surprise,” he replies, taking her hand in his.

“Where are we goin’?”

Lain looks back, a big smile on his face. “Don’t ya trust me?” he asks the smile never leaving his face as he pulls her towards Keiran. He stops and turns around to look at her.

Tiadrin smiles and nods. “With ma life,” she replies, confident.

Lain lifts her up onto Keiran and climbs on behind her. “Then trust me right now,” he says, grabbing the reins and urging Keiran into a trot. He wraps a hand around her waist to keep her from falling off and his palm just so happens to rest on her stomach.

Tiadrin whistles for Neia and the Moonstrider lifts her head at hearing her rider call. The Moon mount rises to her paws and trots at a brisk pace to follow the others.

Lain smiles, but doesn’t say anything as they ride away from the meadow.

Tiadrin leans against Lain’s chest and rests her head against his shoulder, placing her hand on the one Lain has on her stomach and laces their fingers together.

Lain rests his cheek against the side of Tiadrin’s head and sighs, perfectly content. He turns and presses a soft kiss on her temple, making Tiadrin smile.

—————

At the Silvergrove ...

Lain gets off Keiran first and then helps Tiadrin down, reminding her to keep her eyes closed.

“Can I open ma eyes now?”

“Nah-uh-uh,” Lain chides, covering her eyes for good measure. “Not yet, Rin.”

Tiadrin whines, clearly frustrated. “Then when can I?”

Lain smirks. “Ya’ll get ta open them when I tell ya ta,” he replies reveling in the fact that he gets to tell her what to do.

Tiadrin huffs and flops down on the grass, crossing her arms with her eyes still closed.

Lain walks silently towards his house and opens the door, walking in to grab Tiadrin’s gift, and walks right back out into the cool air, Tiadrin’s gift held in both arms.

Tiadrin twiddles her thumbs, wondering what kind of gift Lain got for her. Her ears twitch when she hears footsteps coming towards her.

“Okay, open ya’re eyes now.”

Tiadrin obeys and she keeps her head down as she gets to her feet. The second she looks up, she notices that Lain is holding a Moonstrider cub and her hands fly up to cover her open mouth.

Lain smiles. “Surprise!” he says, setting the little cub on the grass and letting it explore its surroundings.

Tiadrin’s knees buckle under her and she falls to her knees, covering her tear-stained face with her hands. “How did ya know about Neia?” she asks, remembering his attentiveness.

Lain smiles, going down on one knee and placing a hand on her trembling shoulder. “Let’s just say tha’ I have a sixth sense,” he replies, calling her new cub over with a whistle.

Tiadrin’s eyes water when she sees the cub — a female — barrel straight towards them. “Oh, she’s so cute,” she says, running her hand across the cub’s shoulders with amazement on her face at how soft the cub’s teal-and-gray feathers are.

“Ya like her?” Lain asks, giddy about her excitement.

Tiadrin nods, her frustration completely forgotten, as she reaches up to hug him tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank ya so much," she whispers, loosening her hold to press her forehead against his.

Lain chuckles and tucks some hair behind her ear. "Anytime, Rin," he replies, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. She deepens the kiss and presses a hand to his neck.

An "Ahem!" breaks their trance and they break apart, Tiadrin scooting over with the cub on her lap.

Runaan raises a brow at them, Ethari having just walked up after seeing it from a distance.

Lain rubs the back of his neck nervously and looks over at Tiadrin, who's looking anywhere else but at their friends. "Listen, this isn't wha' ya think..." he stammers, trying to find the right words, before Runaan raises a hand to stop him.

"I don't care what you two do, as long as you love each other," Runaan says and walks away, leaving the other three.

Tiadrin lets a breath go that she didn't know she'd been holding and looks at Lain.

Lain catches her silent question and turns to Ethari, who hasn't moved from the spot he'd stopped at. "Are ya okay with Rin an' I datin'?" he asks, cringing inside.

Ethari's eyes widen when he hears this. "Y-Yeah, of course," he replies.

Lain and Tiadrin look at each other, smiles on their faces, and they hug each other, their smiles now giddy grins.

Ethari clears his throat and walks towards them, crouching down next to them. "Mind if I ask a question of me own?" he asks.

Lain and Tiadrin look at each other and Lain nods.

Ethari breathes deeply and looks at his friends. "How long have ya two been a thing?" he asks, waiting for their response.

Tiadrin smiles. "Lain an' I have been datin' for two years now," she replies, wrapping her arm around Lain's waist.

Ethari's eyes widen and he smiles. "Ya kept it a secret from Runaan an' I for two years?" he asks in disbelief.

The other two nod.

Ethari smiles. "Well, never would've thought tha' me friends would keep a secret from me for so long," he says. "But I guess tha' shows how committed ya both are to each other."

Tiadrin nods. “Yeah, we are," she replies, laying her head on Lain's shoulder. "An' I'm glad ya're happy for us."

Ethari smiles and nods. "Why wouldn't I be?" he asks, taking one of Lain's hands and one of Tiadrin's in both of his and squeezes them reassuringly. "Two of me best friends have found worthy partners in each other an' tha's wha' makes me happy."

Lain smiles and pats Ethari's hands. "Thank ya, Eth. We really owe it ta ya."

Ethari smiles. "Well, I better get back ta the forge," he says, letting go of their hands and walking towards the forge.

"Hey, Eth," Tiadrin calls, making the younger elf stop and turn around. "Ya're a good friend ta have."

Ethari smiles. "I know." He continues down the path to the forge and, once he's out of sight, Lain and Tiadrin look at each other.

Lain picks Tiadrin up and spins her around, both of them laughing. He sets her down and they share a kiss, his hands around her waist and hers wrapped around his neck. They break apart and let their foreheads press together.

"Tha' didn't go ta plan," Tiadrin says, moving one arm down to pet her new Moonstrider.

Lain chuckles. "Well, they're okay with it, so I guess we're off the hook about bein' secretive, my love." They don't talk for what seems like ages until Lain breaks the silence. "Have ya picked a name for her yet?"

Tiadrin smiles. "I've thought of the perfect name," she replies. She scratches her yearling Moonstrider under the chin and makes her purr. "I think tha' the name Myrrh suits her."

Lain chuckles and nods. "I think Myrrh likes her new name," he comments, watching as the cub rubs her head against Tiadrin's arm.

Tiadrin laughs and lets go of Lain to hug Myrrh, which Lain joins in too. Keiran comes up and nuzzles Lain, making his rider put his arm around the Shadowpaw's neck.

Lain and Tiadrin sit and watch as Keiran and Myrrh play together, wondering if this is what it'll be like when they have children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, everyone! So, I had so much fun writing this chapter and I’m going to be drawing a scene from each chapter, so let me know what portion of each chapter you’d like to see.


	4. Update

Hiya, everyone! So, I’m really sorry I haven’t been updating like I’ve promised to. Currently, I have writer’s block and I can’t think of what to write next. This is going to be on a temporary hiatus for a bit until I get some fresh ideas. Sorry for the disappointment.


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